Alkyd resins from polyhydric alcohols of at least four hydroxyls, polycarboxylic acids, styrene/allyl alcohol copolymers, and alkyd modifiers



United States Patent 3 287,295 ALKYD REINS FRCIJI POLYHYDRIC ALCOHOLS DE AT LEAST FOUR HYDRCXYLS, POLYCAR- BOXYLIC ACIDS, STYRENE/ALLYL ALCOHOL COPOLYMERS, AND ALKYD MODIFIERS Frank J. Hahn, Springfield, Mass., assignor to Monsanto Company, a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Filed Mar. 30, 1962, Ser. No. 183,764 Claims. (Cl. 260-22) This invention relates to modified alkyd resins and to the process of preparing the same. More particularly, this invention relates to the preparation of short to medium oil-modified alkyd resins.

Alkyd resins are generally prepared from polybasic acids, p-olyhydric alcohols and fatty acids or oils. The fatty material serves to morease film flexibility and solubility, but in .turn tends to decrease early film hardness as the fatty content is increased. In recent years, improved processing knowledge has increased the use of pentaerythritol and higher non-resinous .polyhydric alcohols in long oil alkyd resins. Absence of secondary hydroxyl groups in high polyhydric alcohols, e.-g., pentaerythritol, over previous compounds that had been generally used, e.g., glycerine, served to improve gloss, color retention and weathera'bil-ity of surface coating prepared from alkyd resins containing the same. Of probably more importance, the higher fiunctionality of the higher polyhydri c alcohols generally increases the viscosity development of the alkyd resin. Unfortunately, this latter eliect also tends to cause gelatin-n during preparation. To rnln'imize this tendency, the higher functionality is generally compensated by increasing the proportional quantity of fatty acids or oil in the alkyd. Such an increase in oil content. generally results in alkyds of ow cure response, limited largely to use in 'airdry architectural finishes and excluded from industrial baking finishes. Other compensating methods such as the use of lower functional diols or nonfatty monobasic acids cancel the beneficial effect of higher polyols.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to improve the physical and chemical properties of short to medium oil-modified alkyd resins.

Another object of this invention is to provide a short to medium oil alkyd resin having the improved gloss, color retention and weatherability of a pentaerythritol and/or higher polyhyd-ric alcohol-based alkyd.

Another object of this invention is to provide a short to medium oil-modified alkyd resin having the advantages of alkyds prepared with higher non-resinous .polyols without the sacrifice in properties that would result by compensation with lower functional compounds to avoid gelation.

A further object of this invention is to provide a short to medium oi'l alkyd resin having the properties of a pentaerythritol and/or higher polyhydric alcohol-based alkyd resin with additional superior properties equal to or better than corresponding epoxy esters in water, deter-gent, chemical and corrosion resistance.

These and other objects are attained by reacting 3 to 25% by weight of la non-resinous polyhydric alcohol hav ing a functionality of at least 4 hydroxyl groups, 5 to 40% by weight of a polycarboxyl'ic acid and/or an anhydride thereof, to 60% by weight of a styrene-allytl alcohol oopolymeric polyol and between 25 to 60% by weight of an alkyd modifier selected from the group consisting of fatty acids, monoand higher esters between polyhydr-ic alcohols and fatty acids, triglycerides and mixtures of the same.

The following examples are given to illustrate the invention and are not intended as limitations thereof, and unless otherwise specified, quantities are mentioned on a weight basis.

The process steps used for the three formulations above are 63.111041 out in a heated, agitated reaction vessel. The following process steps are carried out in sequence:

Process Parts of Soya Oil Charged Agitate 420 rpm. and Bleed-in CO; at a rate of .04 cu. ft. per gal.

Heat to 240 C. in Parts of Pentaerythritol Added. Heat to 240 C. in

Hold at 225 C. and Agitate for Parts of Litharge Added Parts of Pentaerythritol or Styrene-Allyl Alcohol Copoly-mer Added:

(a) Pentaerythritol (b) Styrene-Allyl Alcohol Copolymer 550.

8. Heat to 225 C. and Hold min 9. Parts of Styreue-Allyl Alcohol 00- polymer AddedAgitate Mins. 10. Parts of Phthalic Anhydride 148.

AddedStop C02 Bleed-in. 11. Parts of Xylol Added 53. 12. 230 C. 13. min. 14. 24 min. 15.

624 ol- 870 1,005. Water 011 (parts) 17 19 20.

The above compositions are tested and are found to have the following physical properties:

Physical Properties #1 #2 #3 Viscosity, Gardner-Holdt Z2Z3(1) U T-U. Solids 50 5O 50. Acid No. (solids) 9.7 12.6 12.3. Color, Gardner 4 4. Appearance Clear Clear Clear.

In Example I, there are three runs showing different levels of pentaerythritol replacement by the styrene-allyl alcohol copolymeric polyol. This replacement serves to reduce the percent soya oil content to 50, 37 and 33 percent by weight for runs 1, 2 and 3, respectively. In the discussion of oil content, a short oil alkyd is generally understood to mean an alkyd containing 40% by weight or less oil content. Medium is considered to be about 50% by weight while long oil \alkyds are generally considered to be 60% by weight or above in oil content. The percent excess OH over the phthalic anhydride equivalent and the styrene-allyl alcohol copolymer fraction of nonil for the three runs in Example I is shown in the following Table I:

TABLE I Percent Soya Oil Content 50 37 33 Percent Excess OH on Phthalic 25 3O 48 Stypene-Allyl Alcohol Copolymer Fraction of Non- 44 The eifect on the physical properties with increasing styrene-allyl alcohol copolymer replacement is clearly shown in the tabulation of physical properties shown in Example I, particularly with regard to viscosities and acid number. The viscosity results particularly set forth the balancing of viscosities that is possible in the practice of this invention, which results in optimum and improved formulation and application properties while eliminating gelation during preparation.

The process steps used for the three formulations above are carried out in a heated, closed agitated reaction vessel. The following process steps are carried out in sequence:

Process #1 #2 #3 1. Parts of Soya Oil Charged-Agi- 340.5..." 340.5 340.5

tate 420 rpm. and Bleed-in CO; at a rate 01.04 cu. ft. per gal. 2. Heat to 225 C. in 17 min 3. Parts of Glycerine Added. 24.7. 4. Heat to 225 C. in 11 min 5. Hold at 225 C. and Agitate ion-.. min 6. Parts of Litharge Added 0.17. 7. Styrene-Allyl Alcohol Copolymer 550.

Added. 8. Heat to 225 C. and Hold 75 min 9. Parts of Phthalic Anhydride 8.

Added-Stop CO2 Bleed-in. 10. Parts of Xylol Added 52.5 52.5. 11. Heat to 212 C. in -r 55 min-.. 110 min. 12. Hold 120 min 13. Thin with:

(a) Varsol (b) Xylol 8575-- Q91. 7. Water ofi (parts) 18 19.

The above comp ositions are tested and are found to have the following physical properties:

Physical Properties #1 #2 #3 Viscosity, Gardner-Holdt D E-F G. Solids, percent 50 50 50.

Acid No. (solids). 8. 2 12. 5 13.6. Color, Gardner: 5.5 5. 0 4. 0. Appearance Sl. Haze. Clear Clear The percent OH on the phthalic anhydride and the styrene-allyl alcohol copolymer fraction of non-oil for the three runs in Example II is shown in the following Table II.

TABLE II Percent Soya Oil Content 50 37 32 Percent Excess OH on Phthalic 25 30 32 Stygene-Allyl Alcohol Copolymer Fraction of Non- The alkyds of the three runs of Example II were made using glycerine instead of the pentaerythritol of Example I. As can readily be seen from the physical properties tabulated in Example II, the viscosity development did not progress nearly as far as those based on the pentaerythritol polyol. As a result, the alkyd resins of Example I will contribute to a paint superior formulation and application properties for a majority of uses over those of Example II. V

Example Ill Parts by Weight Formula Soya Oil 340 340 Isophthalic Acid- 115 Pentaerythritol 55 55 Styrenc-Allyl Alcohol Copolymet (equivalent Weight=300j=l5) 194 Litharge I. 0. 24 0. 24 Water Loss (thco 25 25 Yield (theoretical) 679. 24 630. 24

The process steps used for the two formulations above are carried out in a heated, agitated reaction vessel. The following process steps are carried out in sequence:

Process #2 1. Parts of Soya Oil Oharged-Agitate 420 rpm. and Bleed-in CO,

at a rate of .04 cu. ft. per gal.

Parts of Litharge Added Heat to 205 C. in Parts of Pentaerythritol Added. Heat to 246 C. for Hold at 246 C. for. Cool to 205 C. in Parts of Isophthalie Acid Added Parts of Varsol or Xylol Added:

. Heat to 224 C. in 2 Azeotrope between 255-275 C. for. 4 hrs. 32 min- Cool to 225 C. in 12 min 1 Parts of Styrene-Allyl Alcohol Copolymer Added. Parts of Varsol or Xylol Added:

(a) Varsol (b) Xylol Reheat to 204 C. in Azcotrope at 225 C. for 1 hr. 30 min Thin with Varsol-Z Total Water 01f 29.5

12 min The above compositions are tested and are found to have the following physical properties:

Physical Properties #1 #2 Final Solids 5n 50. Viscosity, Gardner-Holdt R R-S. Acid No. (solids) 2.8 1.7. Color, Gardner. 5 6. Appearance, filtered..- Cle Clear.

Slight cloud.

ar Appearance, unfiltered Slight cloud Whereas short and medium oil content alkyds, employing pentaerythritol or higher, non-resinous polyhydric alcohols, have in the past employed diols, with their inherent tendency to sacrifice film quality to avoid gelation caused by the high functionality of the pentaerythritol and higher polyhydric alcohols, the use of styrene-allyl alcohol copolymers as part of the polyol makes possible nongelling short oil coesters employing pentaerythritol and/ or higher polyhydric alcohols alcohols with dicarboxylic acids and/or anhydrides. Stoichiometric replacement of polyol, or its extension with styrene-allyl alcohol copolymers, which have high equivalent weight, markedly lower oil content in accordance with the level of polyol replacement or extension. Outstanding performance is had by the principle of supplementing the viscosity retardation influence of the styrene-allyl alcohol copolymer with the viscosity acceleration influence of pentae rythritol or higher polyhydric alcohols permitting realization of their combined advantages in a short to medium oil alkyd without reporting to low functional po-lyols or acids in order to avoid gelation.

Example III demonstrates a procedure employing eX- tension of the polyol with styrene-allyl alcohol copolymer. In effect, a very long (70% by weight of oil) alkyd is processed with the styrene-allyl alcohol c-opolymeric polyol to efiect an ester interchange in sufiicient amount to reduce the oil content as desired. The extension technique as shown in this example generally results in a higher excess hydroxyl (see the following Table III) than those employing the technique involving partial replacement of polyol with styrene-allyl alcohol cop-olymer (see Table I).

A preferred procedure for the preparation of these coesters is to form a long oil alkyd from pentaerythritol and a dicarboxylic acid and subsequently modifying the long oil alkyd with the styrene-allyl alcohol copolymeric polyol to convert the overall composition into a short to medium alkyd. This procedure is generally set forth in Example III. In this example, a triglyceride (soya oil) is used but, if desired, fatty acids or a mixture of fatty acids and triglycerides may be employed in place of the soya oil.

When vegetable or animal oils are used to modifying the alkyd, it is generally preferable in most instances to heat the oil under a blanket of inert gas to prevent darkening. The oil and polyhydric alcohol are heated together above the melting point of the polyol in the range of temperatures from ZOO-275 0, preferably 225250 C., and in the presence of a suitable catalyst such as litharge or lime to form the many various glycerides of the fatty acids. This step is generally refer-red to as an oil alcoholysis.

The water formed during the subsequent reaction involving polycarboxylic acids is preferably removed at the time it is being formed. The removal of the water may be accomplished by any suitable means such as distillation and the like.

When airdrying or rapidly curing resins are desired, semi-drying or drying oils or fatty acids derived from such oils are used. Examples of semi-drying oils would be soya bean, palm, corn, cotton seed, rape seed, sesame, etc., oils or acids derived therefrom. Fatty oils may also be used such as, for example, linseed, tung, dehydrated castor, China-wood, safflower, oiticia, perilla, sunflower seed, etc. oils. These latter oils may be used exclusively or with the semi-drying oils. In addition, either mixed fatty acids derived from such oils or individual fatty acids, e.g., saturated or unsaturated aliphatic or monocarboxylic acids, may be employed. Unsaturated aliphatic monocarboxylic acids and especially the poly-unsaturated aliphatic monocarboxylic acids, e.g., linoleic, linolenic, eleostearic, etc., are preferred when resinous compositions having optimum air-drying characteristics are desired. For the purposes of my invention, I prefer to use saturated or unsaturated high molecular Weight carboxylic acids which contain from about 8 to 24 carbon atoms. In summary, the alkyd modifier may be selected from a wide range of oils or triglycerides, fatty acids, monoand higher esters between polyhydric alcohols and fatty acids and mixtures of the same. To prevent brittleness and/ or gelation which may result at low modifier contents and to permit optimum use of the styrene-allyl alcohol copolymer, the amount of alkyd modifier used in the reaction should be limited to 25 to 60 percent and preferably to 30 to 52 percent.

The polyhydric alcohols used in the preparation of the alkyds of this invention are those containing at least 4 available hydroxyl groups. Illustrative examples of such alcohols are polyglycerol, pentaerythritol, polypentaerythritol, polyallyl alcohol, polymethallyl alcohol, erythrltol, arabitol, Xylitol, mannitol and the like. The preferred polyhydric alcohols to be used in the preparation of the alkyds are the aliphatic or aromatic alcohols of 4 to 6 hydroxyl groups and containing from 4 to 14 carbon atoms such as pentaerythritol, dipentaerythritol and polypentaerythritol, sorbitol and dulcitol, which are considered highly functional in nature. The quantity of non resinous polyhydric alcohol used in the reaction will genenally range from 3 to 25 percent. For optimum chemical resistance, water resistance and viscosity development, the preferable range is 3 to 20 percent and more preferably 3 to 15 percent.

The polycarib-oxylic acids used in the preparation of the novel alkyds may be any of those generally employed in the preparation of this type of resin. These acids may possess two, three, four, or more CHI bOXYl groups and may he aliphatic, alicyclic, heterocyclic, or aromatic and may be saturated or unsaturated. Examples of such acids are malonic, glutan'c, succinic, su beric, citric, tricarballylic, cyclohexa-nedicarboxylic, maleic, fumalric, it-aconic, citraconic, mesaconic, phthalic, isophthalic, terephthalic 1,8- naphthalenic, adipic, se bacic, azelaic, pimelic, chlorosuccinic, bromomalic, dichlorophthalic, dihydi'oacrylic, t-rimellitic, pyro-mellitic and benzophenon-2,4'-dicarboxylic acid.

The preferred polycanboxylic acids to be used in producing the novel alkyds are the dicarboxylic acids containing from 2 to 12 oanbon atoms, such as succinic, glutaric, adipic, su'beric, maleic, ortho-phthalic, or its anhydride, isophthalic, and the like. Particularly preferred polycanboxylic acid are the aromatic dicanboxylic acids, containing from 6 to 10 carbon atoms wherein the two canboxyl groups are attached directly to the aromatic nucleus. Isophthalic acid is a particularly preferred aro matic dicarboxylic acid because of its superior properties wit-h respect to solvent resistance and other desirable properties. In some cases it may be desirable to utilize other forms of the acids, such as the acid anhydrides or acid chlorides, as phthalic anhydride, maleic anhydride, succinic chloride, and the like. The quantity of the polycanb-oxylic acid used in the reaction will generally range from 5 to 40 percent and more preferably from 8 to 25 percent for a more optimum balancing of properties.

The styrene-allyl alcohol copolymers of this invention are copolymers of allyl or methallyl alcohol or mixtures there-of and a. styrene compound containing from about 4.01-0% hydroxyl groups by weight. In place of the styrene may be substituted alpha-methyl styrene or ring-substituted styrenes in which the substituent groups are alkyl or chloro groups, or both. Examples of such ring-substituted styrene compounds include the ortho-, para-, and meta-, methyl, ethyl, :bu-tyl, etc, mono-alkyl styrenes; ortho-para and ortho-meta dimethyl, diesthyl, etc., styrenes; mo-n0, 'diand tri-ohlorostyrenes such as 2, 4-dichlorostyrene, etc; alkylchlorostyrenes such as 2- 7 methyl-4-chlorostyrene, 2,6-dimethyl-4-chlorostyrene, 2,6- diethyl-4-chloi'ostyrene, etc. Mixtures of 2 or more styrene compounds may also be used.

The preferred copolymerized polyol is a styrene-allyl aleohol copolymer having an equivalent weight of 300: 130 and a hydroxyl content between 4.0 to 10.0% and more 7 preferably a styrene-allyl alcohol oopolymer having an equivalent weight of 300:15 and a hydroxyl content between 5.4 to 6.0%. The styrene-allyl alcohol copolymer has a high equivalent weight in proportion to its hydroxyl content and therefore will automatically reduce oil content of an alkyd in accordance with the level of polyol replacement. When the styrene-allyl alcohol copolymer is esterfied with fatty acids it provides coating vehicles generally equal to or better than corresponding epoxy esters in water, detergent chemical and corrosive resistance. Adhesion, drying efficiency, color retention are also equal to or better than corresponding epoxy esters. In addition, the use of styrene-allyl alcohol copolymers as a partial replacement fior the polyol in alkyds leads to coesters possessing all of the above-mentioned advantages plus marked improvement over the conventional fatty acid esters of styre-ne-allyl alcohol copolymers in film flexibility, exterior durability, solvent resistance and economics. The styrene-allyl alcohol copolymers may be prepared in several ways. However, it is most desirable to copoly-merize the styrene and allyl alcohol components in a substantially oxygen-free system, thus minimizing the oxidative loss of hydroxyl groups (see US. 2,894,938). It is especially preferred to employ styrene-allyl alcohol copolymers containing a relatively uniform distribution of hydroxyl groups.

As stated above, this invention permits combining in an alkyd resin the superior gloss, gloss retention, drying, adhesion, chemical and corrosion resistance associated with styrene-allyl alcohol copolymer fatty acid esters, together with the superior color, solvent resistance, chemical resistance and durability associated. with pent-aerythritol alkyds. It permits such combination by either the fatty acid or the oil alcoholysis routes, each with either the poly-cl replacement or extension technique. It enables maximum quality at lowest cost. It provides coes-ters having properties superior to either the unmodified alkyd or the unmodified vstyrrene-allyl alcohol copolyrner fatty acid esters. These coesters may be s-olventdispersed or emulsified to water in oil emulsions. They have enabled the development of superior appliance and architectural enamels, superior automotive primers and t-opcoats, superior appliance primers and superior binders for textile printing. As seen by the above uses, the alkyd resins of this invention are particularly useful in applications where hard, corrrosive-resistant, chemical-resistant films are desired. They are generally compatible with urea-formaldehyde resins, melamine-for-maldehyde resins, ureamelamine-formaldehyde resins, cellulose derivative, cellulose esters, e.:g., cellulose nitrate, etc, and with many other materials, yielding compositions having improved properties over the unmodified material.

It is obvious that many variations may be made in the products and processes set forth above without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention,

What is claimed is:

1. A short to medium oil alkyd resin comprising the reaction product of 3 to 25% by Weight of a polyhydric alcohol having the functionality of at least 4 reactive hy- ChlOXYl groups, 5 to 40% by Weight of a polycanboxylic anhydride, 10 to 60% by Weight of a styrene-allyl alcohol copolymeric polyol and between 25 to 60% by Weight of an alkyd modifier selected from the groupconsis'ting of fatty acids, monoand higher esters between p'olyhydric' alcohols and fatty acids, and mixtures of the same.

2. The short to medium oil alkyd resin as in claim 1 wherein the s-tyrene-allyl alcohol copolymeric polyol has an equivalent weight of 300:130 and a hydroxyl content between 4.0 to 10.0%.

3. The short to medium oil alkyd resin as in claim 1 wherein the styrene-allyl alcohol copo-lymeric polyol has an equivalent Weight of 300:15 and a hydroxyl content between 5.4 to 6% by weight of the polyol.

4. The process of preparing a short to medium oil alkyd resin which comprises the steps of heating in a reaction vessel, in the presence of a catalyst, a mixture of from 25 to 60% by weight of an oil and from 3 to 25% by weight of a polyhydric alcohol having a functionality of at least 4 reactive hydroxyl groups, adding to said mixture from 10 to 60% by weight of a styrene-allyl alcohol copolymer and from 5 to 40% by Weight of a polycanboxylic acid, the total of all components listed above :being by weight.

5. The process of preparing a short to medium oil alkyd resin which comprises the steps of heating in a reaction vessel in the presence of a catalyst a mixture of from 25 to 60% by Weight of an oil and from 3 to 25% by weight of a polyhydric alcohol having a functionality of at least 4 reactive hydroxyl :groups, adding to said mixture from 5 to 40% by weight of a polycarboxylic acid, azeotroping at elevated temperatures, adding from 10' to 60% by weight of a styrene-allyl alcohol copoly-mer, and further azeotroping to form an oil-modified alkyd having an oil content of 25 to 60%, the total of all components listed above being 100% by Weight,

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Paint, Oil and Chemical Review, February 10, 1955,

pages 10-17, copy in 260-22.

LEON J. BERCOVITZ, Primary Examiner.

ALFONSO D. SULLIVAN, Examiner.

J. W. BEHRINGER, R. W. GRIFFIN,

Assistant Examiners. 

1. A SHORT TO MEDIUM OIL ALKYD RESIN COMPRISING THE REACTION PRODUCT OF 3 TO 25% BY WEIGHT OF A POLYHYDRIC ALCOHOLIC HAVING THE FUNCTIONALITY OF AT LEAST 4 REACTIVE HYDROXYL GROUPS, 5 TO 40% BY WEIGHT OF A POLYCARBOXYLIC ANHYDRIDE, 10 TO 60% BY WEIGHT OF A STYRENE-ALLYL ALCOHOL COPOLYMERIC POLYOL AND BETWEEN 25 TO 60% BY WEIGHT OF AN ALKYD MODIFIER SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF FATTY ACIDS, MONO- AND HIGHER ESTERS BETWEEN POLYHYDRIC ALCOHOLS AND FATTY ACIDS, AND MIXTURES OF THE SAME. 